Food entrapment feeding utensil

ABSTRACT

A food entrapment feeding utensil is provided. An example food entrapment feeding utensil includes an elongate handle end. The example food entrapment feeding utensil further includes a food retaining device extending from the elongate handle end. The food retaining device is structured to define a food retaining surface that is circumscribed by a rounded external edge. The rounded external edge is structured to be comfortably received into a mouth of a person. The food retaining surface defines one or more food retaining elements. The one or more food retaining elements are structured to promote food entrapment regardless of an attitude of the food entrapment feeding utensil when the handle end is grasped.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is a continuation of U.S. Application No. 17/894,395,filed Aug. 24, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. Application No.15/294,414, filed Oct. 14, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S.Application No. 13/694,237, filed on Nov. 9, 2012, the contents of allof which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a personal food delivery apparatus and method.In particular, in accordance with one embodiment, the invention relatesto a personal food delivery apparatus including a utensil with a handleend and a food end where the food end is a flat surface. A foodretaining device is connected with the food end where the food retainingdevice retains food on the food retaining device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A problem exists with regard to the use of utensils for the delivery offood for personal consumption. In particular, for example only and notby way of limitation, infants transitioning from food in bottles, forexample, to solid foods initially do not have the fine motor skills tohandle spoons and forks. The prior art is replete with bent spoons andforks that are designed to enable an infant to grasp the utensil. Whilethey are of some value in that regard, they do nothing to address theproblem of actually getting the food into the baby’s/infant’s mouth.Again, the problem Applicant has identified is that babies and infantsmay be able to grasp a utensil but they do not have the skill totransfer the utensil with food into their mouth. Thus, prior art curvedutensils are typically as large as, or nearly as large as normalutensils, since it is understood that at least for some period of timethe parent/adult will use the utensil to feed the infant.

Further, the prior art does not describe or suggest a solution to theproblem of food slipping off or spilling out of utensils as the food istransferred to the user’s mouth. That is, prior art spoons, forks andknives include smooth surfaces. Most problematical are spoons withconcave surfaces that require a user to balance the food within thespoon. Until and unless the user has the motor skills to properly usethem, food will slip off of or spill out of the prior art smoothsurfaced utensils.

Thus, there is a need in the art for a personal food delivery utensilthat enables individuals with minimum fine motor skills, babies,infants, accident victims, and the like, for example only, to feedthemselves without the assistance of others. It therefore is an objectof this invention to provide a personal food delivery utensil thatincludes a handle and a food retaining device. The entire utensil may beof a normal form but a smaller size suitable for an infant and smallerthan normal adult utensils. Further, the food retaining device enablesthe user to simply insert the utensil into food and the food retainingdevice holds the food in place as it is transferred to the user’s mouth.This eliminates the need to maintain the utensil in a proper plane so asto avoid the food slipping off or spilling out of the utensil.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the personal food delivery apparatus of the presentinvention, according to one embodiment, includes a utensil with a handleend and a food end where the food end is a flat surface. A foodretaining device is connected with the food end where the food retainingdevice retains food on the food retaining device.

All terms used herein are given their normal ordinary meaning. Thus,“utensil” describes a device for use in the consumption of foods, suchas a spoon, knife and fork or a combination thereof or any other utensildevice now known or hereafter developed. “Food” includes solid andsemi-solid foods such as pureed foods, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, andthe like, for example only. “Food retaining device” describes a deviceto which food, as described above, attaches. The attachment isaccomplished by the provision of a retaining device onto or into whichthe food connects, all as will be more fully described hereafter.

In one aspect, the handle is conformed in size to be held by infants. Bythis it is meant that the handle is proportional to the size of theinfant’s hand. In another aspect, the utensil is approximately fourinches long including the handle end and the food end.

In one aspect, the food retaining device consists of a number ofdepressions extending into the food end non-curved, flat surface. Inanother aspect, the food retaining device is at least one hole extendingthough the food end non-curved, flat surface from side to side. In afurther aspect of this embodiment, the hole is conformed to create armsin the food end, where the arms extend into the hole.

In another aspect, the food retaining device is a projection extendingfrom the non-curved, flat surface. In one aspect of this invention, theprojection consists of a number of raised, rounded elements. In anotheraspect, the projection consists of at least one raised ridge element. Ina further aspect, the food retaining device is on both sides of thenon-curved, flat surface of the food end.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a personal fooddelivery apparatus consists of a utensil with a handle end, where thehandle is conformed in size to be held by infants, and a food end wherethe food end is non-curved, flat surface. A food retaining device isconnected with the food end where the food retaining device retains foodon the food retaining device where the food retaining device is selectedfrom a group of devices consisting of: a number of depressions in thenon-curved, flat surface and at least one projection from thenon-curved, flat surface.

In another aspect, the number of depressions further includes at leastone depression that creates a hole extending though the food endnon-curved, flat surface from side to side. In one aspect, the hole isconformed to create arms in the food end, where the arms extend into thehole. In another aspect, the projection consists of a number of raised,rounded elements. In one aspect, the projection consists of at least oneraised ridge element. In another aspect, the food retaining device is onboth sides of the non-curved, flat surface of the food end.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a personal fooddelivery method consists of:

-   a. providing a utensil with a handle end and a food end where the    food end is non-curved, flat surface; a food retaining device    connected with the food end where the food retaining device retains    food on the food retaining device; and-   b. inserting the food end in food.

In another aspect, the food retaining device is selected from a group ofdevices consisting of: a number of depressions in the non-curved, flatsurface and at least one projection from the non-curved, flat surface.In another aspect, the number of depressions further includes least onedepression that creates a hole extending though the food end non-curved,flat surface from side to side. In one aspect, the food retaining deviceis on both sides of the non-curved, flat surface of the food end.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome more fully apparent from the following detailed description ofthe preferred embodiment, the appended claims and the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the personal food delivery apparatus accordingto a preferred embodiment illustrating food retaining projections in theform of raised rounded elements in the food end;

FIG. 2 is a is a front view of the invention of FIG. 1 with foodretaining holes through the flat surface of the food end;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the invention of FIG. 1 with raised ridges;and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the invention of FIG. 1 with a number ofdepressions on both sides of the food end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by wayof example in FIGS. 1-4 . With specific reference to FIG. 1 , accordingto a preferred embodiment, a personal food delivery apparatus 10includes a utensil 12. In the figures, utensil 12 most closely resemblesa common spoon but, preferably, utensil 12 is approximately four incheslong. Thus, it is in a familiar shape, except as more fully describedhereafter, but it is smaller than normal for use by infants, for exampleonly. Obviously, any size of utensil 12 that is deemed useful isincluded in the scope of the invention. Further, utensil 12 may be inthe form of a fork, a knife or any other common form as deemed useful solong as they include the required elements of the invention as moreparticularly described.

Utensil 12 includes a handle end 14 and a food end 16. Handle end 14 iselongated and in any useful form for ease of holding. Handle end 14blends into food end 16, preferably seamlessly, as shown. Food end 16 isdistinguished from handle end 14 in that it includes an extended flatsurface 18 as shown and as more clearly understood with reference toFIG. 4 . Flat surface 18 in the figures includes a peripheral shape moreor less like that of a common spoon. However, flat surface 18 does notinclude a concave receptacle for holding food as with a common spoon.Instead, the flat surface 18 of food end 16 includes a food retainingdevice 20. FIG. 1 shows food retaining device 20 in the form of a numberof raised, rounded elements 22. In use, Applicant has determined thatraised, rounded elements 22 are unexpectedly efficient and effective inpicking up and holding soft solid food such as mashed potatoes. It isalso unexpectedly efficient in retaining food such as spaghetti, forexample only.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the same numbers used in FIG. 1 identify the sameelements of this and the other figures as well. In this embodiment,however, food retaining device 20 is in the form of a hole 24. Hole 24passes completely though flat surface 18 of the food end 16. Hole 24 canbe in any useful form. Applicant has determined, however, that oneparticularly effective form is as illustrated. In this shape, hole 24creates arms 26 that extend from the interior edge 28 of food end 16.Here again, Applicant has determined that arms 26 which create a shapedhole 24, or vice versa, provides a surprisingly effective foodentrapment system for a wide variety of foods. Even such foods as peas,rice and beans are easily transported by infants as they are trapped inthe hole 24 by the arms 26, for example only.

Referring now to FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, food retaining device 20is in the form of raised ridges 30. Three raised ridges 30 are shown inthe figure but, of course, more or fewer ridges may be formed in theflat surface 18 of food end 16. Raised ridges 30 may be separate fromone another as shown or connected if deemed useful. In any presentation,the raised ridges 30 have been found to be entirely satisfactory inproviding a place for food to be gripped by utensil 12.

Referring now to FIG. 4 , the side view of the personal food deliveryapparatus 10 shows both flat surfaces 18 of the two sides of food end16. In this embodiment, food retaining device 20 consists of a number ofdepressions 32. The figure also illustrates a feature of the inventionwhere the food retaining device 20 is incorporated into both sides, 34and 36, of food end 16. This structure has been found to be particularlyeffective in trapping food.

In use, an infant, for example only, grasps handle end 14 in a normalform. This acclimates the infant to the look and feel of actual utensilsbut, again, utensil 12 is preferably sized appropriately for the infant.Thereafter, the infant merely has to introduce the food end 16 into food(not shown). Food retaining device 20 enables utensil 12 to pick up thefood. The infant then moves the personal food delivery apparatus 10 tohis or her mouth without having to hold utensil 12 in any particularattitude. It is at this time, the transfer of food to the mouth, thatprior art devices fail for those lacking the fine motor skills toproperly move them without dropping the food from the utensil. Instead,in Applicant’s invention, food is held in place on the utensil 12 byfood retaining device 20. Certainly some amount of food will adhere toeven the normal spoon, knife or fork but they are designed for maximumeffective use to be operated in a required manner in order to deliveradequate amounts of food each time. This is a requirement infants, forexample, cannot meet. Use of Applicant’s personal food deliveryapparatus 10, however, ensures that adequate amounts of food aredelivered while at the same time allowing a baby to participate inself-feeding earlier with less mess. The psychological benefits or earlydevelopment of self-feeding skill with a normally shaped utensilApplicant believes to be significant.

The description of the present embodiments of the invention has beenpresented for purposes of illustration, but is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the invention to the form disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art. As such, while the present invention has been disclosed inconnection with an embodiment thereof, it should be understood thatother embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined by the following claims.

1. A food entrapment feeding utensil, comprising: an elongate handleend; and a food retaining device extending from the elongate handle end,wherein the food retaining device is structured to define a foodretaining surface that is circumscribed by a rounded external edge,wherein the rounded external edge is structured to be comfortablyreceived into a mouth of a person, wherein the food retaining surfacedefines one or more food retaining elements, and wherein the one or morefood retaining elements are structured to promote food entrapmentregardless of an attitude of the food entrapment feeding utensil whenthe handle end is grasped.
 2. The food entrapment feeding utensil ofclaim 1, wherein the rounded external edge defines a non-concave surfaceof the food retaining surface proximate the one or more food retainingelements.
 3. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 1, furthercomprising a plurality of non-concave surfaces surrounding orencapsulating the one or more food retaining elements.
 4. The foodentrapment feeding utensil of claim 1, wherein only the rounded externaledge is visible from a side profile perspective of the food retainingdevice.
 5. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 1, wherein thefood retaining device defines opposing food retaining surfaces eachcircumscribed by the rounded external edge.
 6. The food entrapmentfeeding utensil of claim 5, wherein the opposing food retaining surfacesdefine one or more opposing food retaining elements, and wherein the oneor more opposing food retaining elements of the opposing food retainingsurfaces promote the food entrapment regardless of the attitude of thefood entrapment feeding utensil when the handle end is grasped.
 7. Thefood entrapment feeding utensil of claim 6, wherein one or more opposingfood retaining elements of a first food retaining surface of theopposing food retaining surfaces is offset relative to one or moreopposing food retaining elements of a second food retaining surface ofthe opposing food retaining surfaces.
 8. The food entrapment feedingutensil of claim 5, and wherein the one or more food retaining elementsis a hole defined between the opposing food retaining surfaces.
 9. Thefood entrapment feeding utensil of claim 1, wherein the one or more foodretaining elements embody one or more holes defined by the foodretaining surface.
 10. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 9,wherein the one or more holes include one or more interior extendingarms defined by the food retaining surface.
 11. The food entrapmentfeeding utensil of claim 1, wherein the one or more food retainingelements embody one or more depressions defined by the food retainingsurface.
 12. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 1, wherein theone or more food retaining elements embody one or more holes and one ormore depressions defined by the food retaining surface.
 13. The foodentrapment feeding utensil of claim 1, wherein the one or more foodretaining elements embody one or more projections defined by the foodretaining surface.
 14. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 13,wherein the one or more food retaining elements embody one or moreraised or rounded elements defined by the one or more projections. 15.The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 1, wherein the one or morefood retaining elements embody one or more raised ridges defined by thefood retaining surface.